I am trying to sew up this dress and it says to Reinforce FRONT(1) through larger circles. Slash front to large circles, as shown.

So I sewed down the stitching line until I reached the circles. Then I went and pressed it and slashed the closing from where I sewed. And the picture is showing to be able to lay the slashed fabric to the side. I can't do that!! What do I do next? Also the stitching line on the pattern shows a straight line then part way down it looks like long stitches. What does that mean? I did sew right sides together. That is correct?

When you are reinforcing, you are stitching very close to your previous line of stitching; maybe a thread width. This is typically done in pant crotches. You reinforce by stitching through the circle at the seam allowance, and go a little past it. Then you move the needle over, and stitch again in the same area.

Slashing, in your case, from the cut edge toward the dot, perpindicular to the seam line; NOT from the top down. Slashing is done to reduce bulkiness. Then you flip back one of the seams to press or grade the seam allowance to reduce bulk.

The diagram of the stitching line is done to show you need to stitch this area twice; it couldn't be seen well if it didn't have large stitches showing.

HTH without a picture.

Edited to add: BTW, don't be upset with yourself for being a visual learner. Visual learners are the easiest ones to catch on, because they take in all the pictures. They are also the largest group, compared to auditory and tactile learners. I'm a visual learner and I spent many years teaching the other types. -- Edited on 8/17/12 9:20 PM --

------"Play the cards you are dealt, but choose who is sitting at the table"..AARP magazine

Since you are making a dress I'm guessing this is a V neck maybe? You typically will stitch close to the seam line with a short stitch for about an inch on either side of this dot. For the V you would turn but not cut the thread at the turn and this is not a seam you are sewing one layer of cloth. then you can slash to the V point nearly all the way leaving only a thread or two and sew or turn or what ever you need to do next.

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